It’s time to pack the boots up; Bendigo Amateur Soccer League has pulled the pin on season 2021.
Following in the footsteps of many football leagues across the district, the committee made the difficult call to halt proceedings after a meeting on Wednesday night.
“I acknowledge the power of work undertaken by clubs, their volunteers and the league staff in realising the amount of games achieved under increasingly difficult circumstances,” league president Aaron Shooter said.
“As such, whilst the decision will be disappointing for our members, I would like to focus on the positives and celebrate the amount of football played over another difficult season in our region.”
Championship titles will be awarded to ladder leaders in each division.
This was determined after a unanimous decision was reached regarding a sufficient amount of games had been played for championships to be handed out appropriately.
Bendigo-based sides scooped the pool in the senior section, with FC Eaglehawk and Strathdale claiming division one and two titles respectively, while the women’s title belonged to La Trobe University.
However, Tatura takes homes the youth championship under emphatic circumstances having edged Spring Gully by a point to claim the flag.
Another point agreed upon at the meeting was the decision not to hold a formal presentation night.
Although the hosting of the night has become virtually impossible from a logistics perspective, awards usually featured at the event are likely to be handed out — which spells good news for local sides.
In division one, Tatura’s Cody Sellwood and Shepparton South’s Joel Aitken will share the golden boot award with 15 goals apiece, while the youth division accolade belongs to the Ibises’ Aaron Niglia, who netted 29.
“Having achieved so much under difficult circumstances the idea of celebrating the achievements across the league is deeply valuable to the football community, however, the reality of gathering in significant numbers any time in the near future remains not viable,” Shooter said.
“As such we will do our best to find a way to suitably acknowledge these achievements, in a different format.”
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